Differential responses of germination and seedling establishment in populations of Tragopogon pratensis (Asteraceae)

The establishment phase is an important bottleneck in the life cycle of plants. It consists of two steps that are rarely separated, i.e., the germination of seeds and the establishment of seedlings. Here we report the results of two experiments in which we independently investigated germination and seedling establishment in the greenhouse, under different grass vegetation treatments representing different regeneration niches. Seeds of Tragopogon pratensis from six populations and two habitat types were studied, three from roadside verges and three from hayfields. Germination percentages and germination speed were higher for seeds from roadside verges than for seeds from hayfields, but were little affected by treatment. In contrast, seedling growth was much lower in the tall grass vegetation, than in the short grass and especially the bare soil treatment. Seedling sizes were generally similar for different populations and habitat types. Our results thus show that the two early steps in the establishment phase of plants may respond very differently to the micro-environment, and may have a different selection history. Insight into the ecology and evolution of life histories may require that germination and establishment are considered separately.     

Multiple Recruitment Limitation Causes Arrested Succession in Mediterranean Cork Oak Systems

Lack of tree regeneration and persistency of species-poor shrublands represent a growing problem across Mediterranean evergreen oak forests. What constrains forest regeneration is poorly understood, and restoration attempts have been largely unsuccessful. We assessed the contribution of four different mechanisms of tree recruitment limitation (that is, source, dispersal, germination, and establishment) in a cork oak (Quercus suber) system in southern Portugal. Using a combination of field studies and experiments, we quantified seed production, seed removal and dispersal, seed survival and germination, seedling establishment and survival, as well as cork oak natural regeneration for the three dominant vegetation types in this system (Cistus ladanifer shrubland, oak forest, and oak savanna). We found that all four forms of cork oak recruitment limitation were significantly more severe in shrublands than in oak forests and savannas, so that oak seedling recruitment in shrubland was impeded in multiple ways. Our results explain why transitions from shrublands to oak savannas and forests are extremely difficult, and that the release from arrested succession in this system requires the simultaneous relief of multiple constraints on recruitment limitation in the early life history of oaks. These results have important implications for the restoration and conservation of Mediterranean oak systems.     

The Protective Effect of Phosphate Buffer on SO2 Harmed Wheat Seedling

When 1/15 mol/L of phosphate buffer at pH 6. 4, was used to spray wheat seedling three times, the plasmolemma structure become stabilized and k+ efflux was decreased. After fumigation with SO2 the K+ efflux of wheat seedling ,sprayed with phosphate buffer, decreased markedly. At SO2 dosage of 1.54 ppm × 4h, the decreasing rate of K+ efflux was 54. 11%–81.29% and the decrease rate was in concert with the increase of SO2 dosage. Therefore, the authors consider that the phosphate buffer, at pH 6.4, has a good protective effect against SO2 insult.     

Polypeptide Changes in Cotyledons During Cucunlber Seedling Development and Chilling Acclimation

The changes of chilling resistance and polypeptide pattern during cucumber (Cucumis sativus L. ) seedling development and during chilling acclimation in light (CAL) and chilling acclimation in dark(CAD) have been studied. The results showed that the chilling resistance decreased gradually during seedling development ,CAL could enhance chilling resistance but CAD made the seedlings more sensitive to chilling temperature Two dimension PAGE study showed that during 6--12 days old seedling development some polypeptides disappeared and some appeared . CAL and CAD had different effects on those polypeptides. Both CAL and CAD induced a 58.0 kD polypeptide. There might be cooperation among several genes during chilling acclimation. Chilling endurance obtained from acclimation is based on the integration of metabolism correlated with development.     

秧宝灵防止早稻烂秧的生理基础

秧宝灵浸渍早稻种子,可有效地防止其烂秧发生和提高秧苗素质。这主要是由于秧宝灵处理后能加快幼叶的转绿速度,增加芽和幼叶的束缚水含量,提高芽的可溶性蛋白质含量,增强幼苗根系的活力,从而使秧苗具有较强的抗低温胁迫的能力。     

Morphological Observation on “Polyembryonic Seedling” of Rice

The formation of the so-called polyembryonic seedling and its morphology were observed. The main conclusions are as follows: 1. All caryopses contain only one embryo; 2, “The polyembryonic seedling” reported is actually single seedling with 1 or 2 lateral shoots sprouted from the main shoot. The first lateral shoot arises from the axil of coleoptile and the second one from the axil of lower leaf in the first lateral shoot. These lateral shoots are not independent seedlings. The formation of lateral shoot in wheat is the same as that of rice as mentioned above. The authors had dissected 1500 rice caryopses, 1600 young seedlings from the field and 1102 seedlings germinated under artificial conditions. Thus, polyembryonic seedlings as preriously reported is not present, at least, in rice C1001B line.     

西双版纳热带森林树种幼苗的组成、空间分布和旱季存活

林下树种幼苗是森林生态系统的一个重要组成部分, 在森林的自然更新过程中发挥着重要作用。于2007年10月底在西双版纳20 hm²热带森林动态监测样地内设置了450个幼苗样方(1 m²), 对样方内的树种幼苗(胸径＜1 cm)进行了调查, 并观测了当年的实生苗(H≤30 cm)在2007~2008年旱季期间的存活变化。结果表明, 该区森林林下树种幼苗的组成比较丰富, 但个体数在物种间的分布极为不均匀。除4.17%的幼苗个体未鉴定外, 调查到的已知树种幼苗共计6 367株, 隶属于49科116属161种, 并且Simpson、Shannon-Wiener和Pielou指数分别达到了0.69、2.29和0.45。个体数少于5株的幼苗贡献了50.31%的物种数; 在1 m²的样方尺度上, 幼苗密度和种丰富度两者的平均值分别为(14.15±0.72)株·m^-2和(3.73±0.10)种·m^-2(Means±SE, n=450); 优势幼苗为望天树(Parashorea chinensis)、短刺锥(Castanopsis echidnocarpa)和假海桐(Pittosporopsis kerrii)等, 它们的空间分布格局与地形、海拔和母树分布三者之间存在着密切的相关性; 旱季期间, 幼苗的死亡比例较大(26.49%), 主要集中在优势幼苗。幼苗在干旱胁迫环境下的死亡格局表现出了明显的种间差异: 香花木姜子(Litsea panamanja)和望天树两优势幼苗的死亡率分别为62.65%和35.87%, 而假海桐和蚁花(Mezzettiopsis creaghii)等7种优势幼苗的死亡率较低(＜ 9%), 除望天树等13种优势幼苗外, 其余692株幼苗(共129种)仅死亡了10.40%, 而且有91种幼苗均没有发生死亡。幼苗间的存活差异有待于从种子大小、幼苗的形态和生理特性及其所在空间位置的生境特征等多方面开展深入的研究。     

山杜英和黧蒴幼苗对干旱胁迫(PEG)的生理响应

以山杜英(Elaeocarpus sylvestris)和黧蒴(Castanopsis fissa)幼苗为试验材料,利用聚乙二醇6000(PEG-6000)人工模拟水分胁迫环境,设置三个胁迫强度处理(轻度、中度、重度)、三个胁迫持续时间处理(12h、24h、36h),以不加PEG-6000的1/2Hoagland营养液中的苗木作为对照,对2个树种幼苗的叶片相对含水量、相对电导率、脯氨酸含量、叶绿素含量、超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)活性、丙二醛(MDA)含量和可溶性糖含量进行了测定,研究了水分胁迫对这2种幼苗的影响。结果表明:随着水分胁迫强度的加深及持续时间的延长,2种幼苗叶片相对含水量出现下降趋势,黧蒴的含水量下降更为显著;2种树种幼苗叶片内相对电导率呈波动性上升,黧蒴在轻度胁迫时相对电导率有大幅增加;2种幼苗的脯氨酸含量显著增加,叶绿素含量呈小幅波动,SOD活性先升后降,可溶性糖含量呈现波动性上升;山杜英叶片的MDA含量增加较缓慢,而黧蒴叶片的MDA含量大幅度增加。研究表明幼苗山杜英比黧蒴抗旱性强,叶片相对含水量、相对电导率和MDA含量可作为评价这2种苗木抗旱性的依据。     

四种灌木幼苗对水分胁迫的生理响应

柠条锦鸡儿(Caragana korshinskii)、白皮锦鸡儿(C.leucophloea)、刺叶锦鸡儿(C.acanthophylla)和长枝木蓼(Atraphaxis virgata)是乌鲁木齐周边植被组成中的重要植物种,在植被恢复中具有潜在价值。研究通过人工控制水分比较这4种灌木对干旱胁迫的生理响应,结果表明:叶片的组织含水量和叶绿素含量随着干旱胁迫的加剧而降低;脯氨酸在干旱胁迫下的积累程度较可溶性糖大;除刺叶锦鸡儿外其它植物幼苗的丙二醛在干旱胁迫下均无明显的积累(P>0.05)。4种灌木在干旱胁迫下通过渗透调节、保持膜系统稳定等途径维持正常的生理活动,对干旱具有一定的适应能力。4种灌木抗旱能力的排序为白皮锦鸡儿>柠条锦鸡儿>长枝木蓼>刺叶锦鸡儿。     

水杨酸对冷胁迫下香蕉幼苗抗冷性的效应

用0.6 mmol/L水杨酸(SA)喷洒香蕉幼苗叶片1 d后,于8℃低温胁迫5 d,研究水杨酸对香蕉幼苗抗冷性的影响。结果表明:SA降低了受低温胁迫的香蕉幼苗叶片相对电导率及丙二醛(MDA)和过氧化氢含量,减缓了可溶性蛋白质含量的下降,提高了脯氨酸含量及过氧化物酶(POD)、过氧化氢酶(CAT)活性。表明SA可通过提高香蕉幼苗抗氧化酶活性、清除活性氧的积累、减少膜损伤来缓解低温对香蕉幼苗的损伤。